On May 24, Beijing time, Tesla female workers had sued the company, claiming that female workers faced "rampant sexual harassment" at Tesla's largest California factory A judge in California rejected Tesla's request for closed door arbitration on Monday, ruling that Tesla must continue to defend itself in public court
California Alameda County High Court judge Stephen Kaus ruled on Monday that Jessica barraza, a female worker who filed a lawsuit, could advance the lawsuit in court, even though she had signed an arbitration agreement and waived her right to sue. Cox issued a one sentence order and rejected Tesla's request, but did not explain his reasons.
Balaza said in a proposed class action complaint that she experienced a "nightmare" working environment when she was on the night shift at Tesla, and her colleagues and supervisors kept saying obscene words and making obscene gestures to her. When she complained to her supervisor and human resources department, they didn't take action.
Tesla sought arbitration only against Baraza's allegations under the California employment discrimination act, not against her allegations under another state law related to violations of labor laws. Balaza's lawyer David Lowe told Judge Cox at a hearing in March that the arbitration agreement was illegal and "unreasonable" under California law.
Tesla also faces sexual harassment charges filed by at least six other female employees. Its CEO Elon Musk was also accused of sexually harassing a stewardess on a private plane and paid a $250000 (about 1.7 million yuan) sealing fee. Tesla has been attacked by shareholder activists who have urged Tesla's board of directors to improve the transparency of diversification objectives and use arbitration to resolve litigation on sexual harassment and racial discrimination, but so far it has not been successful.
U.S. President Joe Biden signed a federal law in March that prohibits employers from forcing employees to arbitrate on sexual harassment allegations, but the law does not cover lawsuits initiated before it came into force. (author / Xiao Yu)